SEA in new water policy Ethiopia

The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity is the biggest sectoral ministry in Ethiopia. It makes many investments, and without adequate planning, environmental and social concerns are not always well accounted for. The Environment and Climate Change Directorate therefore plans to integrate SEA in the new water policy that is to be developed in the coming months. To get support for this idea, ECCD needs to raise awareness on the importance of SEA for water planning. Therefore it organised a 3-day SEA seminar for water policy makers, and asked the NCEA to facilitate it. The conclusion? The need for SEA is widely felt, and the new water policy will be formulated in an SEA inclusive process.